Automated call distribution devices or call centers provide a way to handle large loads of incoming telephone calls for a particular business by routing the calls to the appropriate recorded information or service agent which can handle that particular call. However, many times demand for servicing these incoming calls exceeds the amount of service agents which can handle these calls. This results in incoming calls which must be placed on hold until agents can service the calls. Unfortunately, sometimes the amount of time on hold can be of significant inconvenience for the caller. As a result, several automated call distribution devices automatically schedule a callback appointment for an incoming call which cannot be serviced at the time the call was received. Once the scheduled callback time occurs an agent will place an outbound call to the person who placed an earlier incoming call to provide immediate assistance to the callback recipient without the recipient having to wait on hold for an extended period of time.
While this practice is a significant convenience for many customers, often it can create inconveniences and added expenses to a company's automated call center system as well as the associated agents. The scheduling of callbacks for off-peak calling times can be unpredictable resulting in agent inefficiencies and call center management issues, such as staffing the correct number of servicing agents at particular times of the day. Also, peak calling periods and callback appointments may inadvertently overlap resulting in prolonged peak calling periods when not all incoming calls can be serviced. This problem could compound to the point that more callbacks are serviced by agents than first time calls.
Additionally, in current callback systems, the efficiency of agents servicing customers is not maximized. For instance, when an outbound call is placed to service a callback appointment, many times the customer to be serviced does not answer the phone, is unavailable, will no longer require assistance, etc. Thus, in conventional automated callback systems, the inconveniences and inefficiencies customers experienced before having the option of a scheduled callback have shifted to the agents who service the calls. Thus, there is an unsatisfied need to mitigate and control the inconveniencies, and in some cases the unpredictable nature, of conventional callback systems.